WAYNE, N.J., April 2, 2012 - Hankook Tire, the seventh-largest and one of the fastest growing tire companies in the world, today unveiled its planned 2012 marketing activities for the U.S. Through its expanded marketing efforts, Hankook looks to build on the significant inroads made in 2011, which culminated in $1 billion in U.S. market sales for the first time in its thirty year history in the United States.

This boost in brand awareness and resulting sales can be attributed to a number of factors, including several new OE agreements with leading vehicle manufacturers such as BMW and Lincoln, numerous marketing initiatives spread out across various sport platforms, and a continued commitment to R&D. Hankook has also broken ground on two new manufacturing facilities in China and Indonesia, to increase product availability in the United States-50 percent of the Indonesian plant's output will be dedicated to the U.S. market.

"We have increased our marketing investments significantly over the past few years and we are seeing the ROI through a surge in sales and overall brand awareness in the U.S. market," said Soo Il Lee, president of Hankook Tire America Corp. "Through continued investment in R&D, industry leading product and technology advancements, and a concerted effort to reach consumers directly via fully integrated marketing campaigns, we are confident that we will achieve continued success in 2012."

Consumers can expect to see the Hankook brand in a range of media and events this year, including:

Baseball Related Advertising: The Hankook brand can be found behind home plate at 26 big league ballparks across America, up from 11 in 2010, including Yankee Stadium and Busch Stadium, home of the defending World Series Champions, St. Louis Cardinals.

College Basketball Advertising: Hankook can be seen courtside at some of the biggest pre-season Men's and Women's college tournaments, as well as over the course of the regular season and into conference championship play.

Motorsports: Hankook has garnered enhanced visibility and sales as a result of its motorsports sponsorships and special racing programs. In 2011, Hankook became an official sponsor of Formula Drift, and will continue its sponsorship for the 2012 season. In addition to being an official Formula Drift sponsor, Hankook will also sponsor five teams for the 2012 season. Furthermore, Hankook will support teams competing in the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb, Off-Road racing and 25 Hours of Thunder Hill.

New Facebook Site: Hankook will be debuting its new Facebook social media site and consumer hub for fans and followers to enjoy and interact this April. This consumer-focused site launches with new content, features, Hankook motorsports video highlights and Facebook tabs designed especially for current and upcoming retailer-supported promotions and sweepstakes. First-up, Hankook's "Great Catch" Rebate & Sweepstakes.

Consumer Promotions: Tens of thousands of consumers participate in Hankook's rebate and giveaway promotions each year and the company continues to extend its baseball-themed marketing in 2012 to support those efforts. On April 1, Hankook kicked-off its 'Great Catch' giveaway promotion that will award one lucky winner a 2012 MINI Cooper S Convertible. In addition, consumers who purchase four qualifying Hankook tires of any size from an authorized Hankook dealer between April 1st and June 30th of this year are eligible for a mail-in rebate of up to $80.

Times Square Billboard: Hankook's unique tire shaped billboard will continue to be on full display in the heart of Times Square in New York City, generating significant visibility amongst the 1.5 million consumers that pass through on a daily basis; a number greatly increased during New Year's Eve celebrations televised around the world.

About Hankook Tire America Corp.

Hankook Tire America Corp. is a growing leader in the U.S. tire market, leveraging investments in technology, manufacturing and marketing to deliver high quality, reliable products that are safer for consumers and the environment. Headquartered in Wayne, N.J., Hankook Tire markets and distributes a complete line of high performance and ultra-high performance passenger tires, light truck, SUV tires, as well as medium truck and bus tires to more than 400 independent dealers through 3000+ retail sales locations in the United States.